Electric swivel connecting plug



Feb. 20, 1951 M. H. MOELROY 2,54

ELECTRIC SWIVEL CONNECTING PLUG Filed July 50, 1948 JNVEN TOR. M h, Ma ELRUY ATTDRNE 4 Patented Feb. 20, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE 2,542,935 ELECTRIC SWIVEL CONNECTING PLUG Mathew H..McElroy, SanFrancisco, Calif. Application July 30, 1948, Serial No. 41,425

1 Claim. 1

cessed groove and to further provide a second body divided in two sections secured one to the other, the said second body having a circular ridge or other suitable means adapted to extend in the said groove and be circumferentially movable therein.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of an electric contact member centrally located in the threaded plug and a second electric contact member in the form of a ring surrounding the first mentioned contact member.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an electric swivel plug of the character described that is durable, simple in construction, positive in operation, and highly efficient and serviceable in use.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of the specification, wherein for the purpose of illustration like numerals designate like parts through out the same,

Fig. 1 is a central vertical sectional view of the improved device embodying the invention,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of one of the halves forming the split body employed in the invention,

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the second half of the said split body, and upon which the electric cord and contact members are secured,

Fig. 4 is a front end elevational view of the split body,

Fig. 5 is vertical sectional view taken through line 5-5 of Fig. 1, looking in direction of the arrows,

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view on line 6-6 of Fig. 1, looking in direction of the arrows,

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of the threaded plug employed in the invention, and

Fig. 8 is an end elevational view of the said threaded plug, disclosing to advantage the central electric contact member and the metal ring surrounding the same.

Referring in detail to the drawing and the different parts thereof, the numeral I0 designates a conventional electric wall receptacle made of Bakelite, plastic or any other suitable electric insulation material and the numeral ll an internally threadedmetal shell fixed therein. The.

said receptacle is provided with a pair of metal prongs l2 and t3, which prongs are fixed to the insulation disc l4 and extend through the aperture 15. A resilient metal electric contact member 16 is centrally positioned in the disc I4 and connected to the metal prong l 3. An electric cone ductor 'l"! connects the prong l2'fto the threaded metal shell I I.

The numeral I8 designates as a whole, a plug,

made of plastic or any other suitable electric insulation material and is provided with an externally threaded metal cap I 9, which cap is is capable of being threaded into the shell II. A metal body 20 is fixed to the said cap and provides a connection adapted to abut the contact member I 6. The said metal body 20 is connected to the contact member 2| by the conductor 22, the said contact membe 2| being centrally positioned in the said plug. A metal ring 23 is fixed in the said plug and surrounds the central contact member 2| and is connected to the plugs cap [9 by the conductor 22.

The outer end body portion of the device into which the electric cord 24 extends is preferably formed in two sections 25 and 26 secured one to the other by the bolt 21 and nut 28. Electric conductors 29 and 30 lead from the cord 24 and are secured to the section 26 by suitable screws SI and 32 respectively. A pair of resilient metal electric contact members 33 and 34 are connected to the said conductors 29 and 36 as disclosed to advan tage in Fig. 3, suitable screws 35 and 36 functioning as an auxiliary means for retaining the said contact members 33 and 34 to the body section 26. A pair of pins 31 and 38 in the section 26 fit in apertures 31' and 38' in the section 25 and function to keep the said sections one to the other and retain the same in alignment.

It will be particularly observed in Figs. 1, 5 and 6 that a circumferential groove 39 is formed in the plug l8 and likewise, a circumferential groove 41: is formed in the sections 25 and 26. A circular ridge 4| capable of revolvably fitting in the said groove 40 is formed on the said plug l8 and likewise a circular ridge 42 capable of revolvably fitting in the said circumferential groove 39 is formed on the sections 25 and 26, whereby a swivel joint is provided and the electric terminals 33 and 34, connected to the conductors 29 and 3B, are in continuous contact with the central metal member 2| and the ring 3 23 respectively. The section 25 is cored sufficiently to provide suitable space for the contact members 33 and 34 and screws 35 and 36 and the conductors leading thereto. It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes relative to the shape, size, material and arrangement of parts may be resorted to'without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim. Having thus described my invention, I claim: A device of the character described compriscap about one end thereof, a contact body carried centrally of the capped end, a contactmeman electric plug provided with a threaded ber carried centrally of the plug endremote to the capped end thereof, a contact ring supported on the 'cap end concentrically about the last 20 named contact member, a conductor disposed longitudinally of the plug interconnecting the. end contact body and contact member, a second conductor interconnecting the contact ring and the plug cap, a circumferential groove formed in said plug at a spaced distance inwardly from the end thereof remote to' the threaded cap, a body member havin an open end provided with a circumferential flange extending inwardly there- 'about, said flange being inset in and revolubly engaging the plug groove to swivelly interlock the plug and the body, a resilient contact member supported centrally in the open end of said body in abutment with the central plug contact member thereadjacent, a second resilient contact supported in the open end of the body in radially spaced disposition relative to the central contact therein, said radially spaced contact being in continuous abutment with the contact ring carried by the plug, said body being divided longitudinally into separable sections interlocked by a threaded means, correspondingaligning studs and stud passages carried by the respective separable body sections, and an electric cord extending into the closed end of said body and having connection with said radially spaced contacts therein. I MATHEW H. MCELROY.

REFERENCES CITED Thefollowing references are of record in the file of this patent: 4

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number. Name Date 1,324,278 Scheel Dec. 9, 1919 1,631,575 Berry .June 7, 1927 1,845,424 Lant Feb. 16, 1932 1,973,234 Tsavaris Sept. 11,1934 1,981,854 Comiskey Nov. 27, 1934 

